Sheet-metal curtain roller



April 29, 1930. w, HACK ET AL 1,756591 SHEET METAL CURTAIN ROLLER Filed Jan/8, .1929

. VENT R BY MM, M

ATTORN EY'S.

Patented Apr. 29, 1930 uuiran stares saraiar caries HAROLD W. HACK, OF SHORT HILLS, AND JOHN M. LAYN'G, OF GLEN RIDGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO STEWART HARTSHORN COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY SHEET-METAL CURTAIN ROLLER Application filed January 8, 1929. Serial No. 331,061.

Our present invention has for its object to provide an improved form of curtain roller composed of metal having an insert of fibrous material, such as wood, preferably extending a longitudinally from one end of the roller to the other and adapted to receive the usual tacks or staples by which the curtain or shade is attached.

A further feature of our invention is the construction or arrangement of the parts whereby the roller may be formed of flat stock and rolled into tubular form, provision being made during the forming operation I to receive and retain the curtain mounting strip. The assembly of theparts is such that the completed article is also especially adapted for cooperation with an automatic nailing machine.

To these and other ends the invention consists in further improvements and arrangement of parts all as will be more fully described in the following specification, the novel features being set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a curtain roller constructed in accordance with our invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View on the line 2 2* of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the roller is formed from sheet material.

Fig 4 is a cross sectional 4 4* of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a similar view illustrating one way in which the outer edges of the longitudinal slot may be contracted.

Similar reference numerals in the several figures indicate similar parts.

In the construction of metallic shade rollers heretofore, it has been necessary to provide especiallydesigned shade fastening devices. In some of these constructions the end of the shade is secured by depressing it with a locking rod in a longitudinal groove, while in others the tubular body has been perforated and special forms of locking members have been used provided with spear heads which puncture the curtain fabric and 50 engage in the openings in the surface of the view on the line larly adapted for machine operation in atta'ching the end of the shade fabric. In brief this is accomplished by providing the roller with a longitudinally extending insert of wood, paper stock, .or other suitable fibrous material capable of receiving tacks, staples or similar fasteners, a plurality of which may be simultaneously delivered and applied by.

the cooperating chucks and drivers compristhe head of a nailing machine.

In the drawings we have shown a roller of the character described comprising a shell (1), provided with a longitudinal slot or recess in which the curtain mounting strip r is secured. The rolleris provided at one end with the journal pin (3) and at its opposite extremity with the spring operated winding key (4-) but as these parts may be of the usual or any preferred construction, detail description thereof may be omitted; l

The tube is produced in a forming machine by means of which a flat strip of metal is curled orrolled into cylindrical sh'ape as it moves forwardly in a longitudinal direction. During this operation the lateral edges of the sheet are bent over in opposite directions so that as the tube is completed an interlockingjoint or seam (6) is formed. As

the sheet (5) passes through the forming machine, a channel is struck up at the center and extends inwardly and preferably at a point on the finished roller diametrically opposite the joint. In creating this channel side walls (7) are formed which at their lower ecges are united by a bottom (8). The

side walls may be made parallel as indicated in F ig. 4:, but we, prefer to have them converge at their outer edgesv so that the bottom of the channel is wider, or of a greater area, than the space between the parallel outer edges ofthe slot. The shape thus given the slot is indicated in Fig. 5, and may be created during the construction of the tube in the forming machine, or it may be subse-' quently produced by compressing a tube slightly throughout its length, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 5. In some instances, the compression of the finished tube is preferable as it provides a means for very securely uniting the curtain fastening strip (2) in the channel especially if the coinpressing action is done after the filling strip has'been inserted. We have also found that with an undercut or dove-tail shape channel the filling strip can be in erted in the slot 111 a lengthwise direction or such a strip may be compressed into the slot by forcing downwardlyv therein; If the filling strip is Wood, the fibers will expand beneath the engaging edges of the slot to hold the strlp suiiiciently secure so that it is not easily removed and satisfactorily performs its intended function when the curtain fabric has been attached. 7 v

A curtain roller constructed in the manner 1 described is particularly adapted for use With an automatic nailing or tacking machine which is well understood and comprises a work rest as indicated at (9), in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and an overlying head carrying a plurality of nailing devices. In Fig. 2,

we have shown schematically in dotted lines,

one of the driving devices comprising a pair of chucks (10),which are shown as hold ng in operative position a staple (11) WhlCll will be inserted in the strip (2) upon the descent of the hammer or plunger 12). Inasmuch as it is essential that the strip (2) should be accurately centered with reference to the last described instrumentalities,we provide in the channel of the rollera space, or recess, with which a centering device on the nailing machine will cooperate. It will be understood that-this recess may be arranged at any point intermediate the ends of the roller by omittinga portion of the filling strip. In practice we locate the recess at one ex tremity of the roller as indicated at A centering device in the form of a stationary finger (14.) is indicated in dotted lines in .Fig. 2.

The type of roller described lends itself admirably to the manufacture of socalled extension curtain rollers. The rollerillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, comprises the main or body portion formed by the shell (1) and a shortend piece (15) of the same diameter.

The latter carries a wooden plug (16) which is circular in cross-section and extends Within the shell (1) to form a telescopingjoint. This extension piece is provided with a longitudinal recess accommodating the channels formed in the two metal sections of the roller. In a structure of this type the section (15) of the roller carries a separate portion of the curtain attaching strip as indicated by 2*. V

Curtain rollers embodying our invention may be manufactured rapidly and produced inaccurate sizes in quantities atlow cost.

The filling. strip facilitates the attachment of so as to provide therein a recess for engage ing with centering means in a curtain tacking machine.

2. The combination with a metal curtain roller having a longitudinal slot the edges of which lie in the periphery of the roller and are parallel, the bottom of which is of greater area than the opening between said edges, and the sides of which are resilient, of a wooden filling strip having its outer; face lying in the periphery of the roller and its side walls near said face engaged and compressed by the edges of the slot leaving the lower por- 'tion of said strip free to expand beneath said points of engagement. I

.HARGLD W. HACK. JOHN M. LAYNG.

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